Shank-piece for shoes



' (No Model.)v l A JEECKEL.

SHANK PIECE EOE SHOES. No. 498,055. y Patented May 2 3, 1893.

TN: Nouns versus no.. PnoYo-'mo.. wAsmNGToN, o. c.

UNITED .STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I-IECKEL, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SHANK-PIECE FOR sHoEs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 498,055, dated May 23, 1893. i

Application filed December 8, 1892. Serial Ilm-154,439. l(No model.) l

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HECKEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Shank-Pieces for Turned Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of shank-pieces for turned shoes, which improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification and the accompanying drawings,the novel features thereof being specified in the claims annexed to the said specification.

In the accompanying drawings representing my invention-Figure l is a plan View. Fig. 2 represents one of the thicknesses of leather. Figf represents the same with the metallic stffener attached thereto. Fig. 4t represents the same with the cover strip applied to the stiffener. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the finished shank-piece, on the line 5-5, Fig. 1. Fig.6 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a shoe provided with my improved shank-piece.

My improved shank-piece consists of the double thicknesses of leather, A and B, and the intermediate stiening strip C, with or without the cover-piece D. The stiffening strip, which preferably consists of springsteel, is attached to one of the leathers A or B by tacks E. The pieces A and B may be separate from each other, or a single thickness of leather may be split for a sufficient distance to allow the insertion ot' the stilfener and cover-piece, if the latter be used. The pieces A and B are beveled along the edges from the heel forward aroundk the front end of the shank-piece, as indicated in Fig. 5 and by the dotted lines in Fig. l. The leathersA and B are secured to each other by suitable cement. It will be observed that my improved shank-piece covers the heel of the shoe, being given a suitable shape at the rear end for this purpose. i

My-improved shank-piece is applied to the last during the second lasting operation and is fastened to the heel-piece by tacks, and to the sole in front of the heel by cement. The tacks are indicated at E, Fig. 7.

My improved shank-piece holds the shoe in the proper shape, according to the arch of the shank of the last. It is also cheap and durable, and shoes provided with it retain their shape better than those made in the ordinary manner.

I am aware that it has been proposed to attach a strip of metal to either the upper or lower side of an kinsole at the shank such strip being bent at its ends and passed through the sole and clinched. It is characteristic of my shank-piece or stiener that it is made complete in itself independently of the insole which latter need not be pierced'or cut in any way for the attachment of the stiiener. The cham'tered edges of the leather cover of my stittener adapt it to lie, close to the sole between the edges of the upper and their seams and the whole constitutes a very efficient and thoroughly protected stift'ener complete in itself and shaped to suitably tit its intended situation under the insole and also extended and suitably shaped to it the heel 

